SAINT GREGORY PALAMAS

Icon with water-gilding on natural linden wood. The wood has been prepared in heat and gilded with gold leaf 24K, in accordance with traditional Byzantine techniques. The icon has been painted with egg-tempera paints for best performance and endurance of colors used. The colors were chosen based on studies and analyses of older icons by renowned iconographers, after ARTIS had first conducted conservation treatments on them.

Saint Gregory Palamas was a theologian, as well as an excellent rhetor and philosopher. In the first half of the 14th century AD, he began what would have been an illustrious career of the imperial court in Constantinople, but he renounced this to go to Mount Athos in search of a life of stillness and prayer, dedicating himself to the purification of his soul and spiritual reading. In 1335 AD, with his two demonstrative treatises “On the procession of the Holy Spirit”, he came into conflict with Barlaam of Calabria, who taught that man cannot know God, even less so be united to him. Hearing these positions of Barlaam, Palamas went to the Thessaloniki, where he began his struggle “In Defence of those who Practice Holy Stillness” (the Hesychasts). He did so by laying out in writing the true spirit of the Fathers. The Church gave official approval to these writings through the decisions of four different Councils. Later, Patriarch Isidore chose him to be Bishop of Thessaloniki. On account of many problems, however, he had to depart for a time to Lemnos. He eventually assumed his duties and showed himself as a great pastor to his flock. He died in 1360 AD and was immediately honoured as a Saint. After being exhumed, his holy body was found to be not only incorrupt but also fragrant and miracle-working. His memory is honoured on the 14th of November.